Growing up in Arizona, there was one thing I never lacked: Mexican food. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants and food trucks litter every street corner and serve plates teeming with rice, beans, and an assortment of grilled meats at all hours of the day.

Complementing the mouth watering cuisine, the sun-drenched desert environment invites one to relax with an ice cold beverage to beat the heat from both food and climate. Starting your day with delicious huevos rancheros or breakfast burritos overflowing with eggs, peppers, cheese, and chorizo–and a tequila sunrise–may seem hard to beat until you consider extending your morning to a lazy afternoon with fresh fish tacos paired with a draft Pacifico beer.

But for me, dinner was my favorite meal. It was always a difficult decision whether to order succulent enchiladas filled with cheese and smothered in red chili sauce, chicken drenched in thick mole sauce, or steaming hot shrimp and steak fajitas.

In these moments of indecision I would often choose another Mexican classic: the green chile stew. This hearty dish of pork slowly cooked with potatoes balances the smokiness of the fire roasted green chilies. The rich flavors of meat and peppers are captured in the thick, green colored broth that covers both potatoes and pork. While not particularly spicy, green chile stew is best enjoyed with a tart and refreshing margarita. The salted rim of the glass and the tequila keeps the savory green chile stew grounded throughout the meal–and the cool margarita is also key to numbing one’s senses to the desert heat. Recipes for the green chile stew and the margarita are below. Enjoy!

Classic Margarita

1 ½ oz tequila (Cazadores preferred)

1 ½ oz triple sec

1 ½ oz freshly squeezed lime juice

Lime

Salt (optional)

Pour the tequila, triple sec and the lime juice into a shaker with ice. Shake well. Wet the rim of the glass. Rotate the wet rim through the salt. Pour the contents of the shaker into the glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Green Chile Stew

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds pork butt

1 1/2 cup diced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

6 cups chicken broth

1 pound red potatoes, cut in 1/2 in cubes

2 teaspoons salt (to taste)

3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped green chilies*

1/3 of a cup diced red bell

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over high heat and brown the pork in batches. Set aside. In the same oil, sauté the onions until golden brown. Add the garlic and sauté one minute. Return the meat to the pan along with any juices that may have accumulated. Add the broth, potatoes, salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for one hour, until the potatoes are tender. Add the green chilies and the red bell pepper, and cook 15-20 minutes more. Add the cilantro and stir. Serve with pinto beans and corn or flour tortillas on the side.